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Caught Up in the Court
Less than a hour has passed since their return to the Sanctuary, having sustained injuries during the fight Hounslow and Marcus begin to heal themselves. Still in shock and suffering a form of PSD Marcus continues to clean his already spotless gloves. Eventually he comes out of the shock and wanders over to see a TV Broadcast reporting a bombing in South Kensington. The Iron Tyrant’s HQ now has a another building and a cruise liner overlayered. Though only awakened people can see it to the rest it looks like bombing. The culprits are reported to be Alanna, Briony, Marcus and a Blurred image of Hounslow. Branded as terrorists they are all wanted criminals, both Briony and Marcus fill like the life they knew before is officially over. Seeing the images of the wounded, the 1000s dead, Marcus starts to head out taking a lab coat for a disguise. Before he can walk out the door he’s persuaded to stop. ' ' After discovering a riddle hidden within three Go tiles given to Briony by Master Wan (Akashic Master), the group splits. Hounslow and Marcus head to his Dojo located in Bethnal Green, while Alanna and Briony try to work out the riddle. The visit to the Nine Dragons Dojo did not go as plan, even one of his pupils Lee didn’t know where he was and after a life scan it was discovered he really didn’t want to be found. One the way back, they caught sight of news broadcast showing Marcus’ parents being taken by the police for protection, along with the discovery of bombing equipment in Marcus’ room. All lies, no doubt fabricated by the Technocracy. ' ' Back at the Sanctuary Alanna had summoned a spirit dog (later named Toto) to follow the scent of spiritual motor oil left by Pete’s kidnappers. With Briony’s help they were able to find weak spot in reality inside the now abandoned Strand Underground Station, thus allowing the party to enter the Umbra. With the party all assembled and time of essence, Hounslow teleported them to the Strand to begin the search. ' ' After following Toto down an abandoned tube tunnel for sometime, they came across a rather tall gentleman who was very insistent that they keep to schedule. He showed them two doors, one led to Hornchurch the other Elephantine Castle. After a very lengthy discussion, Marcus getting fed up with the endless back and forth began walking towards the latter door. Hounslow wanting to take both doors performed a co-location spell to exist in two places at once and stepped through both at the same. Marcus continued his way through the door he’d chosen the others followed and into the Deep Umbra they want. ' ' The group suddenly found themselves set down in utter darkness, shadowy figures move back and forth. Still feeling impatience he stands up and immediately disappears. Marcus suddenly finds himself standing on a theatre stage wearing only leotard and holding a tiny tuba. Dazed by the situation he starts to play, actual canned laughter fills the theatre. Alanna is the next to stand who finds herself pushed on to stage sitting on a donkey and a gigantic backpack weighing her down. While Alanna improv’s her way through Aristophanes ‘The Frogs’ and stage hands try to pull Marcus off stage, Hounslow dashes his way to the stage. After lifting Briony out her seat (unable to move due to stage fright), the group located their stuff and followed Toto to ladder. Covered in motor oil, Pete and his kidnapper had definitely been though and so the ascend began. ' ' Three miles of climbing later, Alanna had a feeling something was up and used her Spirit sight to find a trapdoor that had for sometime now been just over there heads. After heading through the now open trapdoor the party found themselves standing on top of a skyscraper, resting above their heads is a Orrery. After figuring the Orrery had to be set to Ptolemaic, the aligned planets created an invisible bridge and after walking on nothing for a while they finally arrived at a giant ivory castle, Elephantine Castle. ' ' After Alanna turned one of the castle attendees into a guide, the group was led to the maximum security wing of the castle’s dungeon. When they arrived however they were informed Pete was being taken to Court right now. With that information the group dashed to the Courtroom, choosing to not take the lift after feeling of uncomfortableness from Alanna. They dashed in just as the trail was about to start, the search for Pete was over and he was in big trouble. Three spirits of paradox, Marmaroth a spirit in the form of an angel. Jorõgumo representing Spirit in the form of a Spider-Bride and Farandee a large and creepy looking Jack in the Box who represented Correspondence. Each had a claim and whoever won their case would be free to punish Pete. Hoping to save their friend Alanna named Briony as Pete's defence. ' ' One by one with the help of Pete, Briony manage to convince each spirit that they need not take Pete away. However each of the spirits are given a concession in return, before they relinquish their claim over him. Only Farandee proves to be not so easily talked down, attempting to force the party into fighting him thereby breaking the laws of the court, he traps them inside a Correspondence affect. Now trapped inside his box, the party start to take steps towards escape, one by one the party finds a way out, some more gracefully than others. After one final speech by Briony Farandee frustrated and annoyed finally gives in and relinquish his claim on the Professor. With victory in the bag the party returns via train to the real world. Tired beyond measure Marcus sleeps while in transit and therefore misses Alanna leaving to go on her own adventure one that would for better or worse leave her changed. Arriving at the Chantry Marcus and Pete sit down and have a long deep chat about the incident that Pete had caused. Thankfully Marcus had forgiven Pete, the trail and the words of Briony having help to make him realise that despite the horrible thing Pete had done he was still a good person. Vowing to seek out his fellow Etherites and ask for their judgement Pete attempted to contact them. However Farandee had not just pulled him into the Umber he had pulled Pete out of the universe itself. As far as the world knew Professor Piotr Szymański had never existed, even his girlfriend Tabitha did not recognise him. Also seeking to get in contact with his tradition Hounslow tired to get in contact with Earl's Court only to discover he had been kidnapped, determined to save his boss, Hounslow prepares to do just that. For Marcus this mission would have to wait as he’d just been reminded by his Phone that Luna was returning from Spain, despite the dangers he prepares to go to Gatwick to say his goodbyes.